Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 80

Changgeura

Hello, Bomb!

80. SimCity Hanseong, SimCity Joseon (4)

“Hmm… The restoration should proceed like this. Now, let’s think about how to prevent such a terrible event from happening again.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Even as they answered, the officials’ heads turned automatically. Their expressions were uniformly uneasy, and their gazes settled on Hyang.

As expected, Hyang was the first to speak, and the officials sighed quietly.

“We need to create an organization that can respond to fires, floods, and other disasters as a priority.”

“Create an organization?”

Intrigued by Sejong’s interest, Hyang explained in more detail.

“While managing District 51, I also operated a disaster prevention team. As Abama Mama [His Majesty] knows, District 51 uses a lot of fire, but it also has many dangerous materials like explosives.”

“That’s right.”

“During this fire, the disaster prevention team of District 51 played a major role in containing the fire that spread to the southern part of the capital. Considering this, I think we should create an organization that can prevent disasters throughout the capital.”

“Bring the fire report.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Sejong examined the report summarizing the damage from the fire and nodded.

“Indeed. Is this the result of training?”

“It’s the result of training, but there’s also dedicated equipment.”

“Dedicated equipment? Let’s take a look.”

The officials following behind murmured quietly.

“Playing both the drum and the flute [doing too many things at once].”

“Sigh. What’s it going to be this time…”

“Do they know and match? Or do they match even though they don’t know?”

* * *

Following Hyang’s call, carts carrying the disaster prevention team’s equipment from District 51 headed to the palace.

“Hmm… Even the helmet is unique.”

The helmets worn by the disaster prevention team had a longer visor at the back than at the front, and the aventail [a neck guard hanging from a helmet] was made of thick leather instead of iron plates, with thick cotton padding inside to protect the head from impact and heat.

The clothing worn was the same. Thick cotton was added to protect the wearer from impact and heat.

However, what caught the attention of Sejong and the officials was the water wagon that sprayed water on the fire.

“You put out fires with this wagon?”

“That is correct.”

Sejong carefully examined the wagon.

At the rear of the wagon was a large water tank, and in front of it was a bronze device that looked like a round cylinder lying on its side.

A thick bronze pipe connected the water tank and the bronze device.

“How do you operate it?”

“I’ll show you.”

At Hyang’s command, the disaster prevention team members connected a cloth pipe to the bronze device on the wagon. Two disaster prevention team members grabbed the bronze handles at the end of the pipe and stood firmly, while two other disaster prevention team members next to the bronze device on the wagon began to turn the handle on the bronze device.

Whoosh!

A thick stream of water gushed out from the bronze nozzle at the end of the cloth pipe, and Sejong and the officials applauded.

“Ooh!”

“It would be very good for putting out fires!”

“That is correct!”

Hyang explained to Sejong and the officials.

“If we deploy special forces equipped with this kind of equipment in each district, we can catch fires in their early stages and prevent them from spreading even if they are larger than expected.”

“That’s right.”

While Sejong and the other officials nodded, some officials subtly turned their heads with expressions that seemed to say, ‘Not us!’ with a sigh of relief.

There was one person whose face was gradually turning pale.

It was Kim Jeom, the Minister of Taxation.

“Y-Your Highness… How much area are you considering for each district?”

Seeing the pale face of the Minister of Taxation, Hyang paused to calculate and then answered.

“The fewer the number of households in a district, the safer it will be, but considering the budget, it should be at least two places per ‘bang’ [ward]. And each of those places should have at least three water wagons.”

At Hyang’s explanation, the Minister of Taxation diligently calculated.

‘There are 52 wards in the five districts of Hanseong, so at least 104 places, and at least 3 wagons each… 312 wagons… The budget…. But, if something like this happens again…’

As the Minister of Taxation’s expression became complicated with various variables, Hyang added.

“It costs a lot of money to create new ones and equip them, and it costs a lot of money to maintain them afterward. But, if we have these prepared people, we can respond quickly even if something happens, right? Then we can reduce the damage and reduce the cost of reconstruction.”

At Hyang’s words, the Minister of Taxation sighed deeply.

“Hoo~. I know that very well. But the problem is the budget. The budget…”

At the Minister of Taxation’s grumbling, Hwang Hee stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, I think we should release some of the silver that came in from selling Buddhist scriptures last time and the silver that is being stored from the mines.”

At Hwang Hee’s advice, Sejong nodded.

“I think we should.”

At Sejong’s decision, the Minister of Taxation bowed deeply on the spot.

“Your Majesty’s grace is boundless!”

It was a truly emotional voice.

* * *

The responsibility for the reconstruction of the area destroyed by the fire was entrusted to Hyang, but the court was not just standing idly by.

First, they announced the list of those who passed the Siknyeonsi [civil service examination] that had been conducted before the fire.

“…According to tradition, we would have held a congratulatory banquet to celebrate the passing, but I apologize for having to cancel it because the situation is not good. Following last year…”

The Minister of Personnel, who read Sejong’s words of apology and encouragement to the successful candidates, smiled bitterly as he looked at them.

“Now, the situation is urgent, so practical training will follow quickly! So, follow me! Anyone who falls behind from here will have their passing immediately revoked and be sent back to their hometown!”

Barely half an hour after shouting cheers of joy at their passing, the successful candidates began to scream.

Next was about the soldiers.

-Investigate and report any families who have lost their homes due to the fire and have family members who have been conscripted into military service for committing crimes.

-Immediately allow those living in the affected areas who are trying to quit their jobs to do so, and give those who volunteer to continue working two months of leave to rebuild their homes.

At this order, many people chose to remain instead of retiring.

-Give seven months of leave to those working in departments that support the palace and various government offices, such as Saboksi [Department of Royal Horses] and Sanguiwon [Department of Royal Costumes].

-Among those who came up to Seoul from the provinces for duty this month, immediately send those who were renting homes back to their hometowns.

-For artisans who have homes in the affected area but have to come out to work in the palace and government offices, pay their wives and children as if they had worked.

At the last royal order, Hyang whistled.

“This guy, he’s really spending it since he opened his wallet?”

This was the same measure in the original history, but thanks to the funds that had been steadily collected and tied up over the past time, there were no complaints.

In the subsequent reconstruction work, a policy was decided to change the landscape of Hanseong.

Hyang submitted the approval documents to Sejong.

“There are several reasons why the fire spread so greatly this time, but one of the biggest reasons is that the houses are too close together. This has been somewhat resolved through land readjustment during reconstruction, but Abama Mama’s approval is needed to solve other problems.”

“What is it?”

“Except for the ‘banga’ [houses of the nobility], government offices, and a few buildings, most of the roofs are thatched. We need to replace them with tiles.”

At Hyang’s request, Sejong nodded.

“That’s right. Minister of Taxation, Minister of Public Works.”

“Yes! We receive your order. Your Highness! Please share your opinions with us.”

Thus, the three people in charge of the work created a plan in less than a day and presented it to Sejong.

Sejong read the plan and immediately stamped the royal seal.

“I permit it.”

“Your Majesty’s grace is boundless!”

Sejong’s decision, Hyang, the Minister of Taxation, and the Minister of Public Works bowed their heads and expressed their gratitude.

Hyang was surprised inside as he bowed his head.

‘What is this! They’re moving faster than 21st-century civil servants!’

Sejong made the same decision in the original history. However, the difference after Hyang’s intervention was that in the original history, they were traditional tiles, but now they were tiles made of quicklime created by Hyang.

“It takes a lot of time to gather tile makers, gather soil, gather new manpower, and build tile kilns. Let’s make them with quicklime.”

“But don’t we have to bake quicklime in a kiln too?”

“District 51 has kilns and manpower. All we need is limestone and coal to use in the kilns. We can use the sand from the Han River that has been dredged and piled up for the past two years.”

“That’s a good idea!”

The Minister of Taxation was delighted at Hyang’s words.

‘We can reduce the budget! The budget!’

However, the Minister of Taxation’s joy did not last a day.

This was because Hyang had submitted a plan to Sejong to support construction funds for the common people.

“The country should support construction funds?”

“That’s right, Abama Mama. Where would those who lost their homes and property in this fire get the money to rebuild their homes?

Even if they build the walls by gathering nearby soil and straw, where would they get the timber to use for rafters, beams, and pillars?

And where would they get the money to buy tiles for the roof? They would have to use usurious loans.

However, if the court provides low-interest loans, they will not have to use usurious loans, so they can avoid harsh things like selling their daughters.”

“Hmm…”

At Hyang’s words, Sejong stroked his beard and pondered.

It was not a matter of yesterday or today that the people were suffering from high interest rates.

“Then what interest rate would be good?”

“20% per year.”

“20% per year… It’s not a small amount since it doesn’t cost just a penny or two to build a house.”

“That’s right. So I thought about something called ‘grace period’.”

“Grace period?”

At Hyang’s words, Sejong and the officials all perked up their ears.

After listening to Hyang’s explanation for a long time, Sejong clapped his knees.

“That’s a good idea! It would be good to do that! Minister of Taxation, listen!”

The Minister of Taxation answered as soon as Sejong called him.

“I, I will immediately create a plan and submit it…”

“As expected of the Minister of Taxation! I feel reassured to have you!”

“Your Majesty’s grace is boundless!”

The Minister of Taxation bowed his head and expressed his humility at Sejong’s praise, but he was crying inside.

‘Me, Kim Jeom. I don’t know if I can live to my full potential like this!’

However, Hyang’s remarks were not over.

“Abama Mama. In the process of investigating the owners to rebuild the houses destroyed in this fire, I learned something new that I didn’t know before.”

At the same time, Kim Jeom started to sweat cold sweat down his spine.

His expression was overshadowed by the cry of ‘Please stop!’

“What did you learn anew?”

Hyang answered briefly to Sejong’s question.

“There were so many tenants living in Hanseong.”

Hyang’s expression as he answered was truly complex.

‘Landlords in the Joseon Dynasty! I would understand if it were landowners, but landlords!’

The housing shortage in Hanseong was quite famous.

The ‘gapsa’ [soldiers] and soldiers who came up from the provinces to stand guard, and those who had passed the civil service examination and had just entered government service, had to rent houses or live in rented rooms because they did not have houses in Hanseong.

Thanks to this, if you look at the history of Joseon or the writings of famous people, there are many stories about the hardships of living in rented rooms.

Thanks to this, Hyang was shocked to learn the truth.

“Rented rooms…”

While Sejong was pondering the words, many officials were nodding their heads.

Many of those with the rank of Prime Minister or higher had decent houses in Bukchon, but there were still many officials who lived in rented houses.

In particular, the historians, who were of lower rank, looked at Hyang’s mouth with shining eyes.

“Yes, I heard that there are many hardships in living in someone else’s house. I also heard that there is a saying in the market that my own thatched-roof house is much better than a tiled-roof rented house.”

“That is correct, Your Majesty!”

Many officials answered in loud voices at Sejong’s words.

“Are you also living in rented houses?”

“…”

“Oh dear… So what should we do?”

“It would be unreasonable to get rid of rented houses right now. This is because they have not committed any crimes other than renting out their houses.”

“That’s right.”

“So… how about building government residences when this reconstruction is over?”

“Government residences? Like those for local magistrates?”

“Similar. I will submit a plan later.”

“I understand. I look forward to it.”

“Yes, Abama Mama.”

The historian who was recording the conversation between Sejong and Hyang wrote the following.

-Therefore, His Majesty ordered the Crown Prince to submit a plan.

The historian discusses.

The hardships of living in rented rooms do not distinguish between the high and low ranks, so how can we not be sad about this?

In this situation where we can only expect the Crown Prince’s wisdom, we must hold those Prime Ministers and officials accountable.